EC To Confer With Thai Parties On Choice Of Election Date

[webfact]

EC to confer with parties on choice of election date

By THE NATION

The Election Commission will hold talks with political parties about an official date for the next general elections, EC member Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday.

She also called for the establishment of a special court, independent from the courts of justice, to deal with political cases.

Sodsri said yesterday that the EC would call a meeting with political party representatives in early April to discuss an election date. She noted that the Supreme Court had ruled asking the EC to allow political parties to join in the decision-making about a date for the election. She said the discussion would involve other issues relating to elections, too, such as a legal limit on campaign expenditure, which currently stands at Bt1.5 million for each candidate.

When asked if June 26 or July 3 were suitable for the next election, Sodsri said political parties would help the EC choose the date. "The EC will consider June 26 a choice and determine if things are okay by then to hold an election. If it's not ready, the EC will have to advance the election date," she said.

"We will listen to political parties before making any decision. The EC has not scheduled a date yet," Sodsri added.

Sodsri was speaking during a seminar on "Election without Violating the Law" at the King Prajadhipok's Institute.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier announced he would call for dissolution of the House of Representatives by the first week of May. By that time, amendment to the organic laws to comply with the recent changes to the Constitution was expected to have been endorsed by Parliament.

The Constitution states that a new election must be held no less than 45 days and no more than 60 days from the House dissolution.

Sodsri reiterated yesterday that House dissolution must be called after the organic laws pass parliamentary deliberation to prevent possible legal wrangling.

Some EC members had said the election agency had the power to issue a temporary order for the upcoming election in case early House dissolution took place before the amendment to the organic laws was endorsed by Parliament.

"The EC members may be sued and the legitimacy of our order would be challenged in court. The election called under the EC order may be ruled unconstitutional and void. And the five EC members could be sent to jail. The probability of that is 70 per cent," Sodsri said yesterday.

She compared the organic-law amendment to a firearm and shield for the police. "To arrest an armed criminal, the police need weapons, or they can get killed," she said, seeking understanding from politicians about the predicament before the EC.

Sodsri also called for the establishment of a special court, independent from the courts of justice, to deal with political cases.

"The current system is drawing courts into the political realm, which causes them to suffer political impacts. My opinion is that there should be a court to specially deal with political cases. In the future, cases for dissolution of political parties should no longer be heard by the Constitution Court," she said.

-- The Nation 2011-03-22

[givenall]

Ok what is the todays excuse for the Red or Yellow shirt tokeep their demonstrations? I can tell already the Red will continue to do thisas long as Mr. T put money into this anarchy. And ot sure about what the hell the yellow want